


Parody

by Superperson00



Series: Parody [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Extreme Uno Reverse, Original Character(s), Pokemon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 09:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30036516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superperson00/pseuds/Superperson00
Summary: Even the best trainers dedicate years into learning how to battle with a single Pokémon - So how are you supposed to keep up, when you have to master all of them?
Series: Parody [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2209599
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Parody

_Dear Oliver,_

_Congratulations! The Pokémon Nursery Corporation is delighted to offer you a conditional_ **_Trainer Support Scholarship._ ** _This scholarship offers a cash payment of $2,500 and one endorsed Pokémon._

 _Please find attached your offer letter and acceptance forms. To accept this scholarship, please return these forms and your banking details to scholarshipsteam@PkmnNC.com or 75 PIDGEOT RD, SOLACEON, SINNOH, 5233 by_ **_July 18._ **

_If you have any enquiries about your offer please email our scholarship administration in the address provided above._

_King regards,  
_ _The Pokémon Nursery Corporation._

* * *

“Mum! Mum, I got the scholarship!”

“What?”

Oliver thrusted the letter forward. “Look!”

He watched his mother’s eyes flick across the letter’s contents, waiting for her reaction. She went through the letter once, twice, and was halfway through her third repeat before an exhausted smile broke across her face. “You did it!”

“I did it!” Oliver repeated. “I’m gonna get a Pokémon! I’m gonna do the gym circuit!”

His mother set the letter down on the kitchen table, hands going to her face. “I can’t believe it,” she said. “Oh, Oliver, I’m so _proud_ of you. Come here.”

Oliver wrapped his arms around his mother, squeezing her as much as he could.

“Not so hard!” She wheezed. Oliver marginally lessened his grip, giving her room to breathe.

“This is insane,” he babbled. “Nurseries get all kinds of Pokémon, they’ve got heaps of really rare ones. What do you think I’ll get? Oh, man, I gotta tell Cassie and Tetris. What if it’s a Luxray? Or – or a Salamence, that’d be so cool-”

“They’re not giving you a Salamence,” His mother said. She frowned. “At least, I don’t think so. They’d only give out first-stage evolutions, anyway, right? You’d get a Bagon.”

Oliver couldn’t stop smiling. “I still can’t believe I got it. This is really happening.”

His mother squeezed his arm. “This couldn’t have happened to a better person.”

He flushed. “Aw, mum-”

“Now go fill out those forms,” she said, handing him back the letter. “I want to see all of this done before you come out of your room, got it?”

Oliver rolled his eyes, but there wasn’t any malice behind the action. “ _Fine._ ”

He managed to hold the expression until he closed the room to his door, where he threw the letter onto his bed and performed a happy dance to himself. “I’m getting a Pokémon!”

* * *

“Do you know what you’re getting?” Tetris hooked a leg over the railing of the lighthouse, shifting his balance.

“They haven’t said anything yet,” Oliver said. “But it’s only another week until it comes, so I should hear something from them soon, right?”

“You’d think so.” Tetris let his feet dangle, heedless of the thirty metre drop. “They can’t just expect you to be prepared for anything. What if they get you a Slugma? You’d have to fireproof your whole house!”

“ _Exactly,_ ” he agreed. “The whole place burns down before I even get to leave. I can’t buy a new house. I don’t understand why they won’t tell me, I’ve emailed them like three times!”

“What do they say?”

Oliver made a face. “They don’t say anything. I haven’t gotten anything back yet, I don't know why.” He frowned, realising the time. “Hey, where’s Cassie? She never takes this long.”

Almost on cue, there was a tell-tale squeal, and Tetris groaned. “You jinxed it,” he grumbled, sliding off the railing.

“You guys! Hi!” Cassie made her way up the lighthouse stairs, lugging what appeared to be a large bowling ball in her arms. “I’m sorry I’m so late,” she babbled, “My parents gave me my Pokémon this morning! Meet Cinnamon!”

Tetris’s eyes widened. “You’ve already got your Pokémon?”

Was that jealousy in his voice?

“Yep!” Cassie cheered, before doing a double-take at the rail Tetris was now leaning against. “Get away from there! What if it breaks, that’s – Stop it!”

“I’m moving, chill! You don’t even give me time to think,” Tetris grumbled.

Cassie glared. “You won’t think at all when you fall and crack your skull.”

The two of them held a bitter staring contest. Tetris lost.

Oliver decided to change the topic. “So, who’s Cinnamon?”

Cassie beamed. “My Bonsly!” She held up her bowling ball. “Isn’t he adorable?”

Oliver tried to think of a good word to use to describe Cinnamon. “Well, he’s… Round.”

The bowling ball twisted in Cassie’s hands, and all of a sudden Oliver was staring down at a pair of yellow eyes. Three round green balls decorated Cinnamon’s head. He wasn’t sure how he’d missed them earlier – They were fairly prominent.

“He’s so cute,” Cassie sang, setting the Bonsly on the ground. Cinnamon maintained eye contact with Oliver the entire time. He was, in a word, rather terrifying.

Tetris apparently thought similarly. “He looks like he wants to murder Ollie.”

“No he doesn’t!” Cassie argued. “He’s friendly. Cinnamon wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Cinnamon the Bonsly offered no supporting evidence to this claim.

“Why’d your parents buy you one, anyway?” Tetris asked. “I thought you were going on the Catching Excursion with us.” He was trying to sound blasé, but his voice betrayed his real feelings towards the situation.

Cassie scooped her Bonsly off the ground with surprising ease. “It’s not that much more expensive to just buy one, you know. My dad says that trainers with rarer Pokémon perform better overall, so he got me Cinnamon as a surprise.”

“It appears that us commoners aren’t sophisticated enough for your tastes,” Oliver mocked, but there was no real malice behind the words. He tried to bow, which he discovered was difficult to attempt when sitting down. “Will we be shining your shoes today, ma’am, or Sir Cinnamon’s?”

Cassie giggled, but Tetris didn’t share the sentiment. “But now both of you guys already have a Pokémon. Neither of you are coming tomorrow!” He crossed his arms.

“I don’t even know what mine is, yet.” Oliver said. “Anyone that doesn’t have one by tomorrow has to go, I’m just not allowed to catch anything.”

Tetris’s expression softened somewhat. “Imagine if you wait the full week and all they send you is a Dunsparce.”

Oliver groaned. “Oh my god, no.”

Cassie burst out laughing. “The Nursery’s just – just paying people to take them because nobody wants one-”

Tetris took some loose change from his pocket and slapped it into Oliver’s hand. “Here’s two and a half grand, and _here’s_ your Dunsparce-”

“You guys are the worst-”

“And it’s from a scholarship,” Cassie jumped in. “So you can’t just trade it away or box it, you’re _stuck_ with it-”

“Elite Four Oliver,” Oliver cackled. “Signature ‘mon: Dunsparce!”

“Watch me annihilate both of you with my Dunsparce,” Oliver said. “You guys are gonna wish you never crossed my team.”

Cassie nodded, trying her best not to smile. “Sure, Oliver.”

“I’m serious!” Oliver promised. “It doesn’t matter what I get, I’m topping the gym circuit no matter what!”

* * *

It was the day of the Catching Excursion, and the Sunyshore Gym had divided the thirty-eight new licensed trainers into pairs upon their arrival at Valor Lakefront.

Oliver was fine with going even though he wasn’t allowed to catch anything. Getting partnered up with Geneva was another story.

“Put me with Tetris,” Oliver bemoaned.

“Bad luck, champ,” the gym trainer said, handing him a Poké Ball that Oliver knew contained a Luxio. “Remember, you’re coming back here as soon as she finds something.”

Geneva stuck a piece of gum into her mouth as soon as the staff member turned away. “Yeah, bad luck, champ.”

Oliver frowned. “You brought gum out here?”

“So what?” She asked, chewing loudly.

He rolled his eyes. “Never mind. Let’s get going.”

Geneva had demanded to hold the Poké Ball less than five minutes into their descent around the Valor Lakefront, leaving Oliver to awkwardly follow behind. He wasn’t catching a Pokémon, and the only real reason he’d wanted to come was for Tetris – What was the point for him to be here?

They spent about twenty minutes in an uncomfortable silence, Geneva traipsing through the tall grass and Oliver taking hesitant steps behind. They’d run into a Starly and two Geodude, but they hadn’t had any success.

Oliver stopped, and reached down to tighten his shoelace. He looked up, and found himself face-to-face with a small Kricketune.

“Geneva,” he hissed. “Check it out.”

The girl twisted around and spotted what he was pointing to.

Expressionless, Geneva popped a bright pink bubble the size of a grapefruit, and the Bug type scattered.

“You scared it away!”

Geneva shrugged. “Sue me.”

Oliver glared, and thrust out his hand. “Give me the Poké Ball.”

“What? No!”

“You won’t even be able to catch a Bidoof if you’re just gonna scare him away, give me the ball!”

“Or her.”

“What?

“Scare him _or her_ away.”

“That’s not the point!”

Geneva made a face and started walking away.

Oliver bunched his hands into fists. “I’m stuck with you until you can catch a Pokémon, and it’s like you’re not even trying! Either give it to me or take this seriously, there’s no point-”

“Shut up,” Geneva said suddenly.

“No, you shut up! I’m sick of following you around, I want-”

Geneva shushed him again. Oliver was about to say something in retaliation when he realised that she was pointing to something.

Silent, he looked over his shoulder. A Nidorina had emerged from the bushes to watch their argument, and hadn’t made any motions to leave.

Geneva let the Luxio out of its Poké Ball.

“Get out of the way,” she said to Oliver. Geneva didn’t break eye contact with the Nidorina as he carefully navigated his way out. Right as he was taking the last step, the Poison type stiffened and fled.

“Luxio,” Geneva said. “Get it.” The Pokémon sprinted after the Nidorina, Geneva and Oliver hot on its heels.

Ten minutes later, a scratched-up Oliver came up to the clearing alongside a Geneva that looked significantly less worse-for-wear.

“Nice catch,” he told her. Geneva ignored him, slapping the Luxio’s Poké Ball into his hands.

“Give that back to the gym trainer.” Geneva said.

“About before-”

“I don’t care.”

Oliver left.

He found Tetris not long after. He was clutching a bright red Poké Ball, and appeared immensely proud of himself.

Tetris answered Oliver’s question before he could even ask. “I caught a Chatot!” He declared. “It knows Chatter, and Peck, and Growl, and Sing, and one of the gym trainers said it was a boy, so I’m trying to think of a name. What do you think about Alex?”

“Way too bland,” Oliver said. He unwrapped a band-aid for the cut on his calf, which was bleeding profusely. “You can do better than that.”

“Fair, Tetris mused. “What about Echo?”

“No, God, definitely not.”

“Hey, it’s not terrible. I kind of like it.”

“Maybe that Chatot made you deaf.”

“Ha-ha. Was Geneva that bad?”

“Worse,” Oliver griped. “She’s as horrible as always. I can’t wait to get my Pokémon, I’m destroying her the first chance I get.”

“You heard back on what you’re getting yet?”

“Not yet. Soon.”

“Hope so.”

Behind them, the sounds of thirty-six other new trainers coalesced into an excited babble as they made their way back to Sunyshore. Everyone had nine more days to acquaint themselves with their new teammates before this year’s gym circuit began. Oliver would only have three.

A little bubble of doubt took seed at the bottom of his stomach. Oliver squashed it down. He’d be able to manage the disadvantage just fine.

Really. He could.

Right?

* * *

Another six days had come and gone and Oliver was yet to find out about what sort of Pokémon he was supposed to be getting. With every passing day, his anxiety regarding the matter grew worse and worse.

He and his mother weren’t exactly well off – If Oliver hadn’t landed the scholarship, he wasn’t sure if they would have even been able to afford to catch a Pokémon at the Valor Lakefront with everybody else.

What if there’d been a mistake, and there wasn’t any scholarship endorsement coming? It was way too late now to catch and register a Pokémon for this year’s gym circuit. He’d have to wait another year, and Oliver wasn’t even sure if he’d be able to afford it all himself. He could try and save up, but a lot can happen in one year.

His letter promised that he’d be receiving his new Pokémon today, but it was getting close to six o’clock in the evening and he was yet to get anything. He’d cleaned and vacuumed his room, helped his mother with the laundry and scrubbed the last of the dishes, and at this point he was running out of ways to distract himself too.

Oliver had settled for nervously pacing back and forth in the kitchen, which also served as their dining room and entrance to the house. He’d dropped a large chunk of his savings on a Pokédex after he learned that he won the scholarship, and it buzzed intermittently with messages from Tetris and Cassie. He didn’t answer.

He couldn’t stop worrying. Becoming a trainer was the best financial option he could make; if Oliver worked hard over the course of the gym circuit and proved himself to be good enough, he could get recognised by the League and put on an early payroll as a Trainee. With that kind of money, Oliver could help his mum finally move into a house that felt like an actual house, finally afford the surgery for her shoulder, finally help her cut down on work so she could start painting like she’d always wanted.

Oliver couldn’t deny that he didn’t want this for himself, either. Becoming a trainer opened up avenues that he’d never be able to take otherwise. He’d be able to travel, to stay out as long as he wanted without having to worry about school, to eat as much ice cream in a single day as he could possibly want. There was a freedom to entering Pokémon battling that Oliver wouldn’t be able to have anywhere else, and it stung more than anything as it became increasingly apparent that he might not be able to do it after all.

The door knocked. Oliver glanced at the clock – His mother finished at work roughly forty-five minutes ago, which meant that she’d just be coming back now.

“It’s unlocked!” He shouted.

There wasn’t any reply.

“Mum?”

Oliver apprehensively approached the door, trying the handle. It turned stiffly, and he opened the front door to encounter a small plain box left on the rug.

He could hear his heart beating in his ears. Oliver looked around for the mailman, but there wasn’t anybody in sight. He hurriedly grabbed the box and rushed back inside, tearing it open excitedly on the floor.

The package’s contents consisted of a letter embossed with the logo of the Nursery Corporation, a separate blank envelope that displayed a series of fifty dollar bills through the clear patch at the front, and a single Poké Ball. Oliver ignored the rest and reached directly for the red-and-white capsule, fumbling for the release.

White light burst from the ball, materialising into a corporeal form. The Pokémon stared up at Oliver from its spot on the kitchen tiles, eyes wide and naïve.

A telltale jingle of keys rustled by the doorstep. “Oliver? Why’s the door open? Did your scholarship come in yet?”

Words weren’t coming out of his mouth.

Oliver’s mother stopped in her tracks, and if she rubbed her eyes, and had to take a second look, she could have been forgiven, because tired or not, her eyes reported that next to Oliver’s kneeling form on the floor was the unmistakable form of a Ditto.


End file.
